Examining the Most Effective Method to Reduce Running Ground Contact Time

NCT06988709 | Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: KACH.2025.000924KACH008
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of our study is to establish the most effective running retraining technique to decrease ground contact time. This will be investigated by applying three running retraining conditions and assessing the change in ground contact time and other biomechanical variables between the runner's baseline running and each retraining technique.

Conditions

Healthy Runners

Keywords

running; ground; gait; retraining; contact; time

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Ground Contact Time

  The amount of time in milliseconds that the foot remains in contact with the ground while running. GCT will be measured through the RunScribe device.

  Within a single session, measured pre-intervention (baseline) and during each running condition intervention

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Step Rate

  Within a single session, measured pre-intervention (baseline) and during each running condition intervention

• Average Vertical Loading Rate (AVLR)

  Within a single session, measured pre-intervention (baseline) and during each running condition intervention

• Braking Impulse

  Within a single session, measured pre-intervention (baseline) and during each running condition intervention

• Step Length

  Within a single session, measured pre-intervention (baseline) and during each running condition intervention

Study Arms (1)

Run Retraining Conditions

EXPERIMENTAL

Single-arm, within subject, repeated measures design. All participants will run at baseline and then under 3 different running conditions.

Other: Real-time Visual Feedback; Other: Real-time Auditory Feedback; Other: Real-time Verbal Feedback

Interventions

Real-time Auditory Feedback OTHER

Runners will be instructed to match their step rate to a target step rate, 10% above their baseline step rate. A metronome will be played over a speaker to provide real-time auditory feedback of the target step rate.

Run Retraining Conditions

Real-time Verbal Feedback OTHER

The clinician will provide real-time verbal feedback to runner to "pull your foot off the ground as quickly as you can," every 15 seconds during the retraining condition.

Run Retraining Conditions

Real-time Visual Feedback OTHER

Runners will visualize their real-time ground contact time (GCT) measured by the RunScribe on a TV screen. They will be instructed to run with a goal of matching their target GCT. Their target GCT will be 5% less than their baseline.

Run Retraining Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 17 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Military Service Member or USMA cadet between the ages of 17-60
• Run at least 2 miles three times per week for the past 3 months
• Able to run for at least 15 continuous minutes at a self-selected speed
• Fluent in the English language to read and provide informed consent and follow study instructions

You may not qualify if:

• Lower extremity or low back pain in the previous 3 months
• Lower extremity or low back surgery in the previous 6 months
• Self-reported pregnancy or given birth within the last 6 months
• Currently on a profile that restricts or limits running

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Keller Army Community Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Keller Army Community Hospital

West Point, New York, 10996, United States

RECRUITING

Central Study Contacts

Jennah Bulen, DPT

CONTACT

315-774-8350; jennah.r.bulen.mil@army.mil

Jamie Morris, DPT, DSc

CONTACT

315-774-8350; jamie.b.morris.mil@health.mil

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: FED
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Within-subjects, repeated measures design completed in a single session

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 18, 2025
• First Posted: May 25, 2025
• Study Start: May 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Last Updated: December 12, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)